Folding kick scooters generally have two modes of use: a riding mode, where a user can ride the scooter in a traditional manner, and a carrying mode where the scooter is folded up and carried by hand. This is often referred to as a collapsible scooter. The scooter collapses, or folds, when the footboard is allowed to rotate relative to an upright handlebar assembly through a pivoting joint. The scooter is in riding mode when the footboard is in a position extending away from the handlebar assembly and in carrying mode when in a position adjacent, and usually parallel to, the handlebar assembly.
These scooters typically employ a latch to lock the position of the footboard in either position. The latch is usually located near the pivoting joint and is spring loaded, biased to remain in the locked position, and connected to some sort of handle, or turnkey, that a user can grasp and manipulate to overcome the bias and unlock the latch. Typically, the turnkey is linked to the latch so that rotation of the turnkey changes the latch from a locked state to an unlocked state. Only when the restraining bolt is in the unlocked state can the footboard be rotated relative to the handlebar assembly.
In addition, these folding kick scooters also employ a telescoping handlebar to minimize the overall scooter volume when in the carrying mode. To convert between carrying and riding modes, a user is required to raise or lower the telescoping handlebar and manually rotate the turnkey, in two independent operations. Raising or lowering the handlebar requires the user to grasp it with their hand and either pull up or push down. Rotating the turnkey requires the user to grip it with their hand and rotate against the force of a spring. In certain circumstances, these two operations can be quite cumbersome.
For example if it is cold outside, a user may not easily be able to grip the turnkey for rotation. Also, if the user applies a force to the handlebar assembly or footboard while attempting to manipulate the latch, this can cause the latch to resist movement out of its locked state due to frictional forces. This makes the requisite rotation of the turnkey very difficult and impossible for these users. Additionally, the location of the latch near the pivoting joint requires the user to either bend down to the ground or lift the scooter up to access the turnkey. This can be difficult to do in crowded situations or if the user has other personal belongings they must carry simultaneously.
The object of this invention is to remove all of these difficulties and to combine the two user operations, raising/lowering the handlebar and rotating the turnkey to unlock the latch, into one operation. This saves a great amount of time and effort for the user. Furthermore, when this invention is combined with an automatic folding mechanism, as described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,431,311 and 7,731,204 (herein after incorporated by reference), a remarkably convenient and useful tool for scooter riders is created.